Sand, Lahn Name Pledges for Iowa Governor

Iowa's two gubernatorial nominees identified campaign promises they could deliver in their first year in office.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Utilities

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a classical capitol dome silhouetted over a flat farmland horizon in navy and cream. — Democrat Rob Sand and Republican Zach Lahn each pledged first-year actions on Medicaid privatization and a water and land trust fund in Iowa's governor's race. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Democratic nominee Rob Sand and Republican nominee Zach Lahn identified campaign pledges they could guarantee to accomplish in their first year as Iowa governor. Sand, the state auditor, pledged to begin undoing the 2016 privatization of Medicaid services, while Lahn pledged to launch the IWiLL water and land trust fund.

Why it matters

Both pledges touch state spending and service delivery that affect Iowans across the state, from health care access to water quality. Lawmakers have so far declined to fund the IWiLL trust, which makes Lahn's commitment dependent on a legislative shift.

Roughly 670,000 Iowans were served by state-managed Medicaid before the 2016 privatization. The IWiLL trust would rely on a 3/8 of one-cent sales tax increase, a funding mechanism Iowa voters approved by 63% in 2010, though lawmakers have not yet funded it.

The players

Rob Sand

Rob Sand is the Democratic nominee for Iowa governor and the sitting State Auditor of Iowa, based in Des Moines.

Zach Lahn

Zach Lahn is the Republican nominee for Iowa governor, a candidate from Belle Plaine.

The details

Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee and current state auditor, pledged to allow state employees to work remotely when possible and to start reversing the 2016 Medicaid privatization. Zach Lahn, the Republican nominee from Belle Plaine, pledged to begin IWiLL, which would support water quality, soil preservation, wildlife habitat and recreational development.

2010: Iowa voters approved the IWiLL sales tax funding mechanism by 63%.
2016: Gov. Terry Branstad privatized Medicaid services.
First year in office: Candidates would pursue their guaranteed campaign pledges.

Utilities

Iowa's 2016 decision to privatize Medicaid under Gov. Terry Branstad moved service management away from state government, which Sand's pledge would partly reverse. Lahn's IWiLL trust follows a 2010 voter-approved sales tax mechanism that lawmakers have so far declined to fund.

Iowans who rely on Medicaid could see changes in how services are administered if Sand follows through on reversing privatization. Residents interested in water quality and recreation would be affected by whether lawmakers fund the IWiLL trust.

The takeaway

Campaign pledges for a governor's first year depend heavily on legislative support, as the unfunded IWiLL trust illustrates. Iowans weighing these candidates can compare how each plan would translate into budgets and services.